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Vic coastal planning decision sets national precedent

TONY EASTLEY: A planning decision in Victoria could make it harder for people in all states to fulfil their dreams of settling by the sea.

An advisory committee has told the State Government that a residential development at Port Fairy should not go ahead because of the risk of rising sea levels.

Port Fairy's Mayor James Purcell says the decision is likely to set a national precedent.

Councillor Purcell told Simon Lauder the committee made the decision based on a projection that sea levels will rise by 80 centimetres in the next century.

JAMES PURCELL: It could certainly be an issue where you could consider that there may be some loss of life or certainly a difficulty in saving people. So that would be the main concern from a safety point of view.

Because this piece of land has two issues. One is that it backs onto an area which is the Moyne River, which could be subject to flooding and also on the other side of it is actually the ocean which could be subject to inundation.

SIMON LAUDER: So it's not just a matter of long term rise. It's also to do with storm surges.

JAMES PURCELL: Absolutely. If you know the area well Port Fairy because it is on the river it's got a fairly small peninsula that runs along between the river and the sea. It's a very precious piece of land but it's only a small piece and for that reason I think the minister is being ultra-conservative of this.

SIMON LAUDER: And does it have implications for other areas of coast line?

JAMES PURCELL: Oh it definitely does. This will set the precedent for looking at any developments that are close to the coast. If any development is proposed on similar land it would need to take in precedence and anything of similar character.

And because this is the first that I know of this type, they would need to be taken into consideration by any planners when they are looking at developing close to the sea.

SIMON LAUDER: So have you got any sense that this decision is a bit of history; that it might affect how planning decisions are made around Australia for years to come?

JAMES PURCELL: I've got no doubt it will. I think once you set as I said these precedents everyone else needs to follow otherwise they will be potentially criticised for not considering the intent of this decision.

I have no doubt that whenever a proposed subdivision close to a beach or a dune is considered this will be taken into account.

TONY EASTLEY: The Mayor of the Moyne Shire James Purcell speaking to Simon Lauder.

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